No reason to panic over black fungus

Health officials yesterday said black fungus infection is not rare and it has treatment, but there is widespread misconception about it.

Black fungus has been in the environment since ancient times and there is no reason to panic about it.

"The way the media portrayed black fungus is not fully correct. This fungal infection has always been a threat to those with a compromised immune systems. It's normal. People should not panic over it," Prof ABM Khurshid Alam, director general of the health directorate, told The Daily Star yesterday.

The comments come at a time when many cases of black fungus, known among doctors as mucormycosis, are being detected in people who are recovering or have recovered from Covid-19.

The health DG also said the detection of black fungus infection in two patients at Birdem Hospital was not properly proven yet.

"We have also talked to them [Birdem doctors]. They also have not confirmed [the matter] to us. But we are investigating the matter," Prof Khurshid said.

Meanwhile, Nazmul Islam, spokesperson of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), yesterday said a guideline on preventing and treating black fungus infection might be issued soon.

"It [black fungus] can only cause an outbreak in some special situation. We are closely observing the development. We hope it won't get out of hand," he told a virtual briefing.

Mucormycosis has specific treatment, he said. "There is no evidence that it infects many people. But the treatment is definitely expensive."

The clinical management committee of the DGHS has been working to adopt a guideline as early as possible, he informed.

"We will give specific proposals within a very short time because the drugs needed to treat black fungus are not easily available. Considering this, we are working so that no one can take advantage [of the situation]," he said.

A team of experts is examining the people said to be infected with black fungus, he said, urging everyone to wait for the findings of the experts.

According to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "Mucormycetes, the group of fungi that cause mucormycosis, are more common in soil than in air, and in summer and fall than in winter or spring. Most people come in contact with microscopic fungal spores every day, So, it's probably impossible to completely avoid coming in contact with mucormycetes.

These fungi aren't harmful to most people. However, for people who have weakened immune systems, breathing in mucormycete spores can cause an infection in the lungs or sinuses which can spread to other parts of the body."